During October, 23rd-24th, 2024, Cătălin Predoiu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, attended the ministerial meeting of the Salzburg Forum, in Sofia, organized by the Bulgarian Presidency of this regional dialogue format, which aims to strengthen cooperation between member states by developing a coordinated approach regarding the main risks to regional security.
The event was aimed at achieving an exchange of substantive opinions on topics of interest regarding internal security, with the emphasis being on using the maximum capacity, respectively improving where appropriate, the existing European, bilateral and regional instruments to face the most pressing challenges in terms of organized crime and the fight against migrant smuggling.
Regarding combating migrant trafficking, Cătălin Predoiu highlighted Romania’s approach, which, by intensifying cooperation with its immediate neighbors but also with regional partners and European institutions, managed to achieve important results in terms of border security and migration management. The implementation, together with the Commission and the EU agencies, of a pilot project with the Serbian partners, contributed to the massive decrease in attempts to cross the border illegally, on the border between Romania and Serbia.
According to Frontex data, in the first nine months of 2024, the number of detections on the Western Balkans route recorded the largest decrease among all migratory routes, -79%, which confirms that the measures taken by the Romanian authorities were effective.
Romania’s actions have strengthened the country’s role as a regional security provider, the important operational results obtained recently being the natural result of a whole process that includes risk analyses, the identification of security challenges, drawing up firm responses and carrying out concrete actions for the destruction of criminal networks.
In his intervention, the Romanian dignitary cataloged organized crime, especially human trafficking and drug trafficking, as the most serious challenge facing the member states, with a devastating impact on our societies.
In this context, it is important that all relevant actors (EU, Member States, European agencies) intensify the existing cooperation and develop new ways of combating, starting from the good practices identified as a result of the investigation of complex cases.
Considering that the activity of criminal networks is more and more complex, they are turning into true criminal corporations, it is important that states develop their border surveillance capabilities, along with concrete prevention and combat measures. In addition, it is important to develop specific partnerships with third countries, make the most of existing instruments such as the Global Alliance to Combat Smuggling of Migrants, intensify data and information exchange, use to their full potential the all justice and home affairs IT systems, checking all relevant databases.
A central element of the work of law enforcement agencies should be financial investigations, which should become standard practice, through which they can strip criminal networks of their ill-gotten gains. Asset recovery is another effective tool to combat financial crime and organized crime in general. EUROPOL also has a decisive role in this context.
Another topic addressed by the Romanian minister was that of technological progress, which, although it has brought many benefits to society, when it is used by criminals to commit crimes, represents a risk to internal security.
Therefore, it is necessary for states to invest in the training of police officers and in equipping law enforcement agencies with state-of-the-art technology and tools to support policing. In the opinion of the Romanian dignitary, the development of quality analytical products and their exploitation should represent a priority for states and a central element of cooperation with EU agencies.
Romania is among the first states to be involved in joint investigation teams at the European level aimed at combating migrant trafficking, an additional proof of commitment and recognition of the professionalism of Romanian experts.
On the occasion of the ministerial meeting, a Joint Declaration aimed at continuing the cooperation between the member states on the subjects of common interest addressed during the discussions was adopted.
„The Salzburg Forum is an important working and cooperation format in Central and Eastern Europe for securing borders, combating migrant, drug and organized crime trafficking. We presented Romania’s results and discussed the increase in cooperation between national polices. We had several bilateral discussions with the member states present. We used the opportunity to continue promoting Romania’s goal of fully entering Schengen, including land borders, in 2024. We got a positive response and support both in the informal discussions within the Forum and in the plenary session. Things are going well, but we remain focused both on the work in the field to protect the borders, as well as on the area of multilateral, bilateral, formal and informal diplomatic action„, said Cătălin Predoiu at the end of the meeting.
